If you lived in Guinea-Bissau instead of United States, you would:

be 73.8% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese. In Guinea-Bissau, that number is 9.5% of people.

live 29.0 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 80 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women). In Guinea-Bissau, that number is 51 years (49 years for men, 53 years for women).

Economy

make 97.0% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $59,500, while in Guinea-Bissau, the GDP per capita is $1,800.

be 4.4 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line. In Guinea-Bissau, however, that number is 67.0%.

Life

have 2.6 times more children

In United States, there are approximately 12.5 babies per 1,000 people. In Guinea-Bissau, there are 32.5 babies per 1,000 people.

be 39.2 times more likely to die during childbirth

In United States, approximately 14.0 women per 1,000 births die during labor. In Guinea-Bissau, 549.0 women do.

be 14.8 times more likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.8 children die before they reach the age of one. In Guinea-Bissau, on the other hand, 85.7 children do.

Basic Needs

be 79.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In United States, 100% of the population has electricity access. In Guinea-Bissau, 21% of the population do.

be 95.0% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 76.2% of the population has internet access. In Guinea-Bissau, about 3.8% do.

be 20.1% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In United States, approximately 99% of people have improved drinking water access (99% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas). In Guinea-Bissau, that number is 79% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 60% in rural areas).

Expenditures

spend 58.0% less on education

United States spends 5.0% of its total GDP on education. Guinea-Bissau spends 2.1% of total GDP on education.

spend 67.3% less on healthcare

United States spends 17.1% of its total GDP on healthcare. In Guinea-Bissau, that number is 5.6% of GDP.

Geography

see 98.2% less coastline

United States has a total of 19,924 km of coastline. In Guinea-Bissau, that number is 350 km.

Guinea-Bissau: At a glance

Guinea-Bissau is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 28,120 sq km. Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established authoritarian dictator Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite setting a path to a market economy and multiparty system, VIEIRA's regime was characterized by the suppression of political opposition and the purging of political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In 1994 VIEIRA was elected president in the country's first free elections. A military mutiny and resulting civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIEIRA's ouster in May 1999. In February 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA after he was elected president in transparent polling. In September 2003, after only three years in office, YALA was overthrown in a bloodless military coup, and businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was re-elected president pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation; he was assassinated in March 2009. Malam Bacai SANHA was elected in an emergency election held in June 2009, but he passed away in January 2012 from an existing illness. A military coup in April 2012 prevented Guinea-Bissau's second-round presidential election - to determine SANHA's successor - from taking place.

How big is Guinea-Bissau compared to United States?
See an in-depth size comparison.